Despite its loss of Ward 12 in Dannhauser, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), to the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)  for a second time, the African National Congress (ANC) is happy to have increased its support in that region by 35.60%.

The province held its by-elections on Wednesday in Buhlebezwe, in the Harry Gwala district and in Dannhauser, two prominent strongholds of the ANC. In 2016, the organisation had governed the Harry Gwala region without any coalition.

The IFP regained its vacant seat by obtaining 52% of votes while ANC only obtained 34%. The EFF gained 12%.

Ubuhlebezwe ward 8, in southern KZN, is of the ANC's strongest area in all of South Africa.

The ANC received 70% of the votes, beating the IFP, which obtained only 20%. The EFF received 10%.

The ANC gained 89% of votes in 2016.

According to KZN ANC spokesperson Mafika Mndebele, despite the loss of governance in that ward, the outcome of increased support showed a huge victory on their side.

“In Dannhauser we have increased our support which is something we will need to maintain. We are still confident that we will win back our Ward 12. As the ANC, we still maintain that we will regain all our municipalities one by one. The IFP is only in coalition with the apartheid Democratic Alliance (DA) but there is no service they are giving to the people. People are tired and they will eventually come home to the ANC,” he asserted.

Mndebele also dismissed ideas of an ANC coalition with the DA and the IFP.